While we were sleeping our team slept at CP17, leaving after a good rest and feed on their bikes. An sms came through from Nikki at 00h52 (SA time; 08h52 Oz time):
“Hi all. Finally have reception again. The past few days have been epic. The paddle took 19hrs. Our guys finished that second with the 2nd fastest time. The hike was brutal. 33hrs [actual time 35h53]. No food from 15hrs and little to no water. Conditions extremely hot. They were broken. Had a sleep at Mt Mulligan. Left for bike feeling better. Waiting for then at Lake Tinnaroo. Big hike still. Expect them to finish Wednesday mid-morning. Currently with Merrell – 3rd or 4th. Nikki”
The XPD website shows that McCain reached CP17 in 4th, at 02h26. Merrell were an hour and half ahead, reaching the end of the hike at 00h56. 5th place team is www.alpineepic.co.nz at 06h00.
Tracking dots now (09h00 SA time; 17h00) show McCain ahead of Merrell on bikes, approaching CP22, end of bike. Comparing tracking dots, McCain (at the same place) are 6hrs behind Blackheart and Orion. Bike took Blackheart 18h22 Next up is a paddle across Lake Tinnaroo, which both Orion and Blackheart and Orion have completed in just under 3hrs. McCain and Merrell will get it at night – but it looks straight forward and our team is brilliant on water.
Comment from the event website on the paddle: “Teams will welcome the water after a dusty trip to get here. The reservoir of Lake Tinaroo, known for calm waters and scenic shoreline (including Tinaroo falls) will cool racers down and help them to recover for the home stretch.”
Tatum made a comment update at the bike CP17:
CP 17 – Hey guys, phew what a leg! It was GNARLY and hectic! It took us 35 hrs and things just went pear shaped for us out there. Tweet had sunstroke after our 20hr paddle/drag and we had to take time out. Then we got horribly lost. Guys I have no words to describe how hard it was for us. We ran out of food 15hrs into it, water very scarce. Terrain was brutal!!! Just rock and overgrown bushes. Had sleep now, ready to race Merrell. Lost huge time last two nights. Orion and Blackheart got away in the mountain and are way ahead now. Our only hope is that we are strong and recovered and can really go. Thought about all so much. Love you lots. PS Merrell watch out!!! J Lofts – love you baby!!!
Comments from Blackheart (currently first or second- leapfrogging happenin’ with Orion)
CP 22 – Kim here. Josh and Damon are busy pumping up boats, Rob is busy phaffing as per usual J Only two stages to go now, so we can start to enjoy it again! We’ve just completed an overnight MTB. Many of the marked roads ended up being little off road goat tracks so I’m sure everyone would have enjoyed watching our Spot device do several circles throughout the night. We ended up calling it a night early and catching a couple of hours of sleep until the sun rose before continuing. Off for a paddle now in the heat …..
CP17 – Gee that was a tough trek! The navigation was particularly difficult at night and we were pleased to find the CP before Orion and McCain. We then went our separate ways but arrived just a few mins behind Orion in TA so it will be interesting to compare our routes after the race. The bets have been laid about how much longer it will take to finish from here. Damon wants icecream ready for 6pm Monday night while Rob wants to cancel our accommodation since he doesn’t think we’ll be there till Tuesday. Only one MTB, kayak and trek left…
This is from a new report posted on the Kiwi site, Sportzhub:
News through from CP18 at the base of Mt Mulligan 10am today, with no internet coverage this update is delayed. Five teams have been and gone, with the sixth about to leave.
This is the current placings with transition times.
Orion in Sun 17:24 out 18:31 (Kiwi’s Brent Edwards, Carl Bevins, Fleur Pawsey & Marcel Hagener)
Blackheart (Aus) in Sun 17:29 out 18:17
Merrell (with Kiwi Nathan Peterson) in Mon 00:55 out 02:57
McCain (SA) in Mon 02:30 out 06:55
Alpineepic in Mon 05:57 (Kiwi)
City Bike Depot (Aus) in Mon 08:37 out 09:16
Orion and Blackheart arrived within 5 minutes of each other last night. Orion looked pretty wasted, they’d pretty much run out of food, and despite two sleeps along the way, Brent in particular was pretty tired. He grabbed a 10 minute powernap while the rest of the team finished the packing up. It was super hot out there yesterday, averaged around 30 degrees at the TA, probably more out on in the wilderness.
Blackheart all looked pretty good. Their feet were all fine, and they did a pretty sharp transition to be out 15 minutes ahead of Orion.
Merrell came and went in the early hours of the morning. McCain arrived then slept, they were tired and had also run out of food before the end of the trek.